CHENNAI: Dr Poongothai Aladi Aruna, who had resigned as Social Welfare Minister nine months ago over the telephone tapping controversy, is back in the State Cabinet as Minister for Information Technology.
Incidentally, the announcement came just a few hours after the budget session of the State Assembly was over. Poongothai will assume office on February 27 at a simple function to be held at the Raj Bhavan. The IT portfolio, which was being looked after by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has been allocated to Poongothai.
Significantly, she will be the first Minister to look after the IT portfolio as an independent charge.
Further, the Arasu Cable TV Corporation will be under her supervision from now. Recently, the government had transferred the Chairman of the Corporation, C Umashankar. With Poongothai’s re-induction, the strength of the State Cabinet will go up from 29 to 30.
Poongothai, who was accused of influencing a vigilance official to save her relative involved in a corruption case, resigned on May 14, 2008. After a week, Karunanidhi accepted her resignation on May 20. When Deputy Leader of Opposition, O Panneerselvam, raised the issue in the House charging the Minister with misusing her power, Karunanidhi had said that he felt ashamed of the Minister’s action. The tapped telephone conversation between the Minister and the vigilance official was released to the media by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy.
Confirming that the voice on the tape was hers, Poongothai had said that she was just inquiring about the status of the case and not pressurising the officer.